aback

/əˈbæk/uh-BAK
/əˈbæk/uh-BAK

Meaningbackwards

Common meaning: startled or surprised

Journey through time

  1. Old Englishonbæc‘backwards’source
  2. Middle Englishabaksource
  3. Englishmeaning shiftsbackwards → startled or surprisedaback‘startled or surprised’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Old English onbæc ‘backwards’.

Roots

  • onbæc Old English “backwards”

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